ONDC apphow to download, eligible cities, how to use ONDC to order food at cheaper price

By Divyanshi SharmaOrdering food from the comfort of your home is perhaps the best feeling ever. But it can be a challenge at times as some delivery platforms levy high taxes and commissions which makes the entire order’s cost go up. To prevent this from happening and providing people with a cheaper option, the Indian government built ONDC (Open Network for Digital Commerce). The platform allows restaurants to sell their food directly, without the need of any middlemen like Swiggy, Zomato, etc. It is to be noted that ONDC is a platform that allows businesses to directly sell their services and shouldn’t be confused for being just an app.

ONDC has been around since September 2022 but is now gaining popularity and is reportedly delivering more than 10,000 daily orders. Over the last couple of days, a lot of people have posted screenshots in which they are comparing the food delivery prices offered by ONDC, Swiggy and Zomato. And ONDC costs relatively cheaper.

However, since the platform is new, it is not live in all cities and not all restaurants are available on it.

So how can you download and use ONDC and is it live in your city yet? Read on to find out.

Where is ONDC available?

ONDC was first made available in Bengaluru, back in September 2022. This is the reason, perhaps, that the app of the platform is only available in Bengaluru as of now.

However, does this mean that only Bengaluru residents will be able to order food via the platform? Absolutely not. You can still access the app in your city via the Paytm app. However, the restaurants in your area must be live for you to order food.

ONDC’s website answers the question of its availability in pin codes across India and if there is a list of the pin codes where it is live. Responding to this question, the website reads, “ONDC as a network is enabled across India, Buyer apps may choose to be live on few of these pin codes. Also, serviceability on a pin code will depend on specific buyer location in that pin code.”

How to use ONDC?

Simply head over to Paytm and type ‘ONDC’ in the search bar or scroll to the very bottom of the home screen. You will then see the ONDC store and a variety of options ranging from groceries and cleaning essentials to the food store will pop on the screen. If you are trying to order food from a restaurant, head over to ONDC Food and check out the cuisine that you are trying to order. You will then see a number of restaurants and can order your favourite food online just the way you do with other food delivery platforms.

The ONDC platform is still in its initial stage and is likely to get better in the coming days. Its app might be only live in Bengaluru as of now, but anyone with a Paytm account can order food by accessing the platform.